Not everyone will be able to follow a game designer career. This career path calls for an all-rounder. In the first instance you must be quite artistic. The job requires a lot of creativity. Then you must know as much as possible about computers and computer programming. A degree or two-year specialized course will be very useful when you apply for a job.
Furthermore you should have no problem to be part of a team. Sometimes you will lose track of the bigger picture when all you do is create the animation for one character in the game. It’s like a huge jigsaw puzzle. Although your little bit might seem insignificant, it forms an important part of the whole.
To prepare you for a career in computer graphics, the best way is to do a university degree in computer graphics or to follow a course at one of the colleges offering this. Also ensure that you are able to prove familiarity with all of the many software packages that the industry uses on a daily basis.
Then start practicing. A portfolio of things that you created, even if you didn’t do it for money, will be very helpful when you apply for a job one day. It will show your prospective employer that you are serious about what you want to do.
The industry is fast becoming highly competitive. This is because of the huge numbers of skilled programmers from developing countries who can work remotely at rates far below that generally expected in first world countries.
It is therefore a good thing that you specialize in some or other field within the industry and gain a level of expertise in that field which is above that of the general job applicant. You can for example become a specialist in character animation, or background creation or sound effects.
Except that your first job will probably be a lowly paid one with long hours and not a lot of challenges. See this as a stepping stone to bigger and better things. The industry has a steep learning curve. You will find that a lot of the knowledge you use ten year down the line was gained during practical experience, not at university. If you are really serious about a game designer career and you can’t find a job immediately, become an intern. You will still gain the knowledge without having to pay for it.
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